Specialists do not get tired of coming up with new technologies to facilitate the process of repair work or construction. New in floor repair – “dry screed”. The dry screed method allows you to increase the thermal insulation characteristics of the floor, level its surface, which is important, the work will take a little time. In addition, installation takes place without dirty work. The method is simple and within the power of any owner who has the slightest skills in the construction business. The floor is previously freed from the coating (linoleum, laminate or parquet) and a weak old screed.
Metal beacons are installed on its surface at the same level, the distance between them is 1.2 meters. The spans are filled with fine expanded clay. Expanded clay should have a grain fraction from 0.5 to 1 centimeter, you can buy expanded clay 0-5 mm. The material can be purchased in bags of 30 to 50 liters from the manufacturer.
Expanded clay is leveled with a metal profile or rule. This is the most important stage of work. Both excess filler and deficiency are unacceptable. The sheets will begin to bend up if there is too much expanded clay and bend down if there is not enough of it. It is more convenient to level small areas of the floor, which are immediately sewn up with selected elements.
Carefully, in order not to damage the backfill level, the floor elements are laid, having previously lubricated their edges with PVA glue and twisting them with self-tapping screws. Small screws are used for this. After the floor is installed, all seams and the perimeter of the floor must be puttied with cement putty. All irregularities in the joints can be easily cut off with a spatula or simply sanded with sandpaper, sometimes they use an abrasive mesh.
Expanded clay has a porous structure, so its thermal insulation characteristics are higher than those of some other materials. With the help of expanded clay, it is easy to arrange a warm, perfectly flat floor without drying and in record time.
Floor coverings – linoleum and carpet
Linoleum is the most common type of flooring. Currently, there is a wide variety of types of this building material in terms of texture, color and pattern. It is made from natural materials – this is a more expensive type of material, as well as from artificial – this is a more affordable material for flooring. Linoleum comes with a felt backing, with which it retains heat better and on a foam basis – this is a more modern type of material, a laminate has a similar backing. On the surface of linoleum, manufacturers apply various patterns that imitate parquet, stone or floor ceramic tiles.
From an economic point of view and if you want to make inexpensive repairs in the apartment, linoleum will be the most correct and suitable option as a floor covering. This building material can be used not only in apartments, private houses and luxury cottages, but also in offices, shops, etc.d. Its advantages lie in a large selection of colors, the ability to lay in various rooms, and it is also easy to clean, not afraid of water and this is the cheapest floor covering. The cons are quite insignificant: there may be traces of furniture and the need for a perfectly even base of the floor.
Carpet is the softest, most comfortable and quiet floor covering. If you need to embody the most complex design fantasy, then the carpet is ideal for this, because.to. there is a large selection of colors and patterns. Manufacturers can use for the production of such material, both natural wool, sisal and others, as well as artificial material – synthetics. The choice of the consumer is always limited by the price, t.to. flooring made from natural materials is more expensive, and from synthetics, you can purchase material at the best price. Some models of carpet can be laid in rooms with high humidity. Installation of this type of material is a fairly simple process and you can even do it yourself.
The advantages of carpet are a large selection of colors and patterns, the possibility of use in residential and commercial premises, quick installation and the availability of natural models on the market. Cons – this is the need for a high-quality floor base, a high price from natural materials, it quickly gets dirty and is afraid of sharp objects. Just like on linoleum, on the carpet there may be traces of furniture that has been standing in one place for a long time.